1 january 2011

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with Minister of Transport Igor Levitin

The discussion focused on vessels trapped in ice in the Sea of Okhotsk. The minister of transport also reported to the prime minister on response efforts following the emergency in Moscow airports and on measures taken to avoid similar situations in the future. Vladimir Putin instructed Mr Levitin to closely monitor the situation in airports and report back on January 2 on efforts to rescue the fishers.

Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:

Vladimir Putin: Let's start with the airports, please.

Igor Levitin: OK. On December 30, Moscow airports resumed normal operations. All passengers have been taken to their destinations. Both on December 31 and today all airports have been functioning normally.

Following your order, a commission including federal executive bodies has been set up and headed by me. Let's review the work of all services in the Moscow Region during the emergency.

I've met with the head of a plant that produces deicing liquid, and we agreed that the plant will meet our needs for the winter. In addition, we have begun receiving supplies from Germany under existing contracts. We've agreed with the Ministry of Industry that we need to think about establishing such an enterprise in Russia given the total raw materials provided by Russian plants.

Vladimir Putin: OK, understood.

We must closely monitor the situation at the airports. Now about the fishers, please. How many people are on board, six hundred?

Igor Levitin: 555 people. Here is a satellite picture (shows the picture to Vladimir Putin) showing what is going on there and where these vessels are located. This picture shows the area here...

Vladimir Putin: Three vessels?

Igor Levitin: There are three vessels here in the drift ice. The ice is about 30cm thick. Two icebreakers are headed there: the Magadan, which is expected to arrive by 2.00 a.m on January 2, as it is closer to them, and the Makarov, which will take about...

Vladimir Putin: Two days.

Igor Levitin: Two days, yes. It will be there on the night of January 3rd or 4th, but tomorrow the Magadan will arrive, and it will try to free the trapped vessels. The vessels have telephones, food, water and medical supplies, and aren't in urgent need of anything.

Vladimir Putin: Are they in danger?

Igor Levitin: There is no danger. These three vessels are together, and to the fishers can evacuate the small vessels and get on the main vessel, if needed. The Irbis rescue ship is nearby, but it cannot approach because of the drift ice. We are afraid it could also become trapped in the ice trap, so we are waiting for the icebreaker to find its way so that it can free these vessels. The vessels are functioning normally, processing fish products, but they cannot leave the area without the help of an icebreaker.

Vladimir Putin: Good. Report back to me tomorrow on the situation.

Igor Levitin: OK, Mr Putin.